Sand Tray Therapy

Sand Tray Therapy was first inspired by the author HG Wells, who wrote about the way he and his sons played on the floor in his book, “Floor Games”. Wells realized that they were exploring problems in their wider lives and providing potential solutions. Taken up by the pediatrician, Margaret Lowenfeld, these ideas eventually found physical form in sand trays in which patients could create personal worlds, guided by imagination and creativity. Symbolism and metaphor combine and the sand tray scene acts as a key to open up the door that masks the subconscious.

Sand Tray Therapy is used with both adults and children. It is particularly useful with those patients who have been traumatized by abuse and who need the safe environment provided by the sand tray. At Permian Basin Counseling we provide photographs of the sandworlds created by clients, so that a layered picture of their creative and therapeutic expressions is readily available. We refer back to the worlds in talk therapy sessions.